Traders in Royal Wootton Bassett have hit out at fines imposed by Wiltshire Council.

The council has told businesses they must produce duty of care documents, dating back two years, to prove they are disposing of waste correctly or they could be fined £300 each.

There was no previous notice these papers were required and traders believe it is a way for the council to raise revenue.

The law relates to the Environmental Protection Act (1990).

Julian Middleton, manager of County Jewellers in the Arcade, said: “I have been here for more than 10 years and they haven’t ever said anything about this.

“We just received a letter saying if we didn’t produce the documentation within a week we would be fined £300, which is a lot to a small business.

“It feels very much like a retrospective fine.”

Mr Middleton finds the charge even harder to take because County Jewellers does not produce any commercial waste, but still could face the penalty.

He said: “When most people think of commercial waste they imagine green slime but that is not the case. We only produce paper waste, which I take home to burn, and old watch batteries which I sell. However, the letter states even if a business handles its own waste it must produce a duty of care notice from the point of disposal. How am I supposed to do that?”

Mr Middleton has conceded he will most likely have to pay the fine as he cannot afford the costs associated with taking the council to court, especially if he loses.

The fine has also been criticised by local business groups.

Hazel Newson, chairman of the Royal Wootton Bassett Business Association and owner of Dandelion, in the High Street said: “They could have written to the businesses reminding them that it was due, or given six months’ notice. £300 is such a lot of money for any business to pay. Surely they have a duty to inform you when you set a business up and pay the business rates there has to be this notice.”

“If that’s the law, that’s the law, but the more people I asked the more people didn’t know it had to be provided.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said: “Fly-tipping is an ever-increasing problem which costs taxpayers in Wiltshire hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.

“Commercial waste makes up a significant proportion of that waste, and businesses have a duty to ensure it is disposed of properly.

“By taking this more proactive approach, we can actively pursue illicit waste collectors who charge to collect and then dump the waste, and also deter businesses fly tipping waste themselves or disposing of the waste through other avenues funded by the tax payer.”